Cheers to Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin died from an unintentional heroin overdose and had her ashes spread along the northern California coastline near Stinson Beach.

The woman with the loud powerful voice unlike anyone else’s, wanted to go out with a bang. When Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose on October 4, 1970 at the age of 27, she left behind a will stating that $2,500 be left for a hard-partying wake in her memory. Her friends and family had the party three weeks after she died at The Lion’s Share, in San Anselmo California where she had performed many times before. Around 200 guests received invitations to the party that read, “Drinks are on Pearl,” a reference to Joplin’s nickname.

In true Janis Joplin style, the party was wild, with the band The Grateful Dead providing entertainment, along with several other performers. Joplin’s former lover, James Gurley and other friends of the singer said there was no shortage of alcohol at the party.

No one mentioned Joplin’s name at the party.

Her body was cremated at the Pierce Brother Westwood Village Mortuary, and her ashes scattered along the Northern California coastline near Stinson Beach.